Heat to remove kidney tumors

2003/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

Radio wave ablation is a very useful technique for removing some kidney tumors. To remove the tumor, a very thin conductive needle is inserted inside and burned with heat. In the Massachusetts hospital, 34 patients who were removed from tumors have been followed for three and a half years and have reported good results in the February issue of Radiology magazine. With heat they have destroyed 42 tumors between one and nine centimeters.

The technique has given very good results with renal skin tumors, but not so good with those inside. However, researchers are very happy because not even a patient has been reproduced. Ablation has been proven in non-operable patients, as kidney tumors are usually cured by surgical intervention.

Radio wave ablation has been used for years to treat cardiac arrhythmias and a type of benign bone tumor, and sessions with renal and liver tumors have been initiated for years.